South Berwick councilor banned from Eliot after release from jail

ELIOT, Maine — A South Berwick town councilor facing a felony charge of domestic violence burglary was instructed to follow a strict set of guidelines pending his release from jail.

On Monday, a judge gave David Burke, 52, the option of posting either $2,500 cash bail or $15,000 in real estate surety during his arraignment in Springvale District Court. A third bail option includes Burke signing a Maine pretrial contract and posting $1,500 cash bail.

Burke was held in the York County Jail since his Friday morning arrest for allegedly breaking into an Eliot home just before 8 a.m. The victim, who is known to Burke, reportedly called police after locking herself in her second-floor bathroom.

Burke, who was arrested at the residence Friday without incident, was originally charged with domestic violence stalking — a felony — and violation of a protection-from-abuse order — a misdemeanor. Those charges were later dropped and replaced with the domestic violence burglary charge.

As prosecutors outlined Monday, Burke was also arrested on Sept. 5 on a charge of violation of a protection-from-abuse order. When officers responded Friday, he allegedly stated he knew he wasn't supposed to be there and he also expected he would have contact with the victim in the future.

Citing "a clear lack of insight," prosecutors originally asked for $10,000 cash bail before a judge imposed several sanctions on Burke pending his release from jail.

Some of these include reporting daily to the South Berwick Police Department, not possessing dangerous weapons, random searches of compliance, and a ban from entering Eliot unless it's for travel along Route 236.

He was also ordered to have no contact with the victim via face-to-face, telephone, email, text, or third-party exchanges. Burke will be re-arrested if he violates these orders.

Burke is next scheduled for a status hearing Jan. 4 in Springvale District Court.

He is in the second year of a three-year term on the South Berwick Town Council. He was re-elected in 2010.